Field of the Invention
This technology relates to power sources for memory circuitry such as charge pumps.
Description of Related Art
As process sizes continue to shrink for nonvolatile memory such as flash memory, lowering power consumption of the memory circuitry becomes even more critical. Power consumption of memory circuitry is determined by current consumption, because power=voltage×current=current2×resistance.
Certain types of memory circuitry rely on a higher supply voltage than the lower supply voltage provided as an input to the integrated circuit which includes the memory array. Examples of such circuitry include charge pumps and output drivers.
Charge pumps and output drivers also draw relatively large peak currents. Voltage boosting circuits and multi-phase clocks are example of other types of memory circuitry that draw relatively large peak currents, and which may or may not rely on a higher supply voltage.
Such types of circuitry that rely on a higher supply voltage than the lower voltage supplied to the integrated circuit, and/or that draw relatively large peak currents, consume varying amounts of power. Peak powers can damage the power source of the integrated circuit which includes the memory array.
It would be desirable to control peak power consumption of an integrated circuit.